TAUNTON — A community forum in Taunton has been scheduled for tonight, following the city's recent spike in heroin overdoses.

The Taunton Police Department has reported a surge in heroin abuse including responses to four overdoses just on Saturday. There were 20 suspected overdoses and three suspected overdose deaths in January and at least 19 overdoses in February.

Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr., the police department and public health and human service agencies are to participate in the forum on Monday. Taunton residents are encouraged to attend.

Hoye said he hopes the forum will spark a discussion that will curb the city's overdose problem and encourage those in need to seek help.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Friedman Middle School in Taunton.

As Taunton's city government, police and the Bristol County district attorney prepare to hold a forum tonight about the high number of heroin overdoses in the community recently, the public health epidemic showed no signs of stopping over the weekend.

Taunton police reported responding to four overdoses on Saturday alone.

Two of the overdoses happened at the same 40 Tremont St. rear apartment on Saturday morning. Taunton police said they initially responded to calls of an overdose at the building, when a second person was found suffering from an overdose at the location.

Later on in the day, Taunton police commented about the Saturday morning overdose calls on Facebook and remarked on the pattern of increased heroin calls dating back to the beginning of the year. Without identifying the address in the post, Police said they have actually responded to the 40 Tremont St. Rear apartment five times over three days last week for overdoses.

"This morning we were clearing an overdose at the apartment when someone else went down," the message said. "When will this stop?"

Based on previous police statements and a count of documented suspected overdose calls, Taunton police have responded to 48 suspected overdoses in the city this year, which they say is a dramatic increase from the amount they were responding to last year. That included at least four suspected overdose deaths in the city in 2014 thus far. - See more at: http://www.tauntongazette.com/article/20140216/NEWS/140216723#sthash.AK8kuTsJ.dpuf